Protect Her

Summary:
Quil is Claire's. He will do exactly what she needs of him. Even when her newly divorced father gains custody and forbids him to go anywhere near her, he does what's best... he leaves her alone. And then, after five long years, he realizes what's been happening to the one he was born to protect. He WILL save her, no matter what it takes.

Notes:
Quil/Claire. Yes, it's a little creepy. He's in love with a two-year -old. Mostly post-eclipse, will skip around a bunch... *disclaims*

1. Chapter 1

For me, it began much later. But she is so much more important. For my Claire, it began the day her parents came to get her after that first weekend at Emily’s. The day I had to tell them… She is so much more important, so I’ll begin there.

I was tickling Claire when the fateful doorbell rang. That perfect little smile… I would kill or die for that smile and count myself lucky. Claire couldn’t talk very well, being only three, but she managed to stutter out a haughty command between giggles.

“Thtop it, Kwiw! Thtop!”

The way she mispronounced my name was so adorable. It made me want to scoop her into my arms and…

Three, Quil. She just turned three. Patience.

I obeyed, and to my delight, her giggles continued. It was the only sound in my world.

Emily interrupted my bliss. “Lina, Jack, this is Quil Ateara… a friend of Sam and mine.”

I looked at the two strangers. I presumed they were my Claire’s parents. Lina looked a deal like Emily, where Jack was tall, thin, and commanding.

I had a very unpleasant conversation ahead of me.

“Sam, I need you!” Emily called. He sprinted in just as I would had my Claire called.

Sam looked into my eyes, as though he was reading my mind. Which I don’t think he could do… at least not in this form. He was asking if I was ready for this. I nodded ever so slightly, and my chief tilted his head sarcastically to the side. He could tell I was lying.

All five of us sat, and I began talking. “All right. I have no clue how to say this, so I’m just going to put it straight out. I’m a werewolf.”

Lina laughed. Mr. Denson merely looked scornful.

“So am I,” Sam added.

“That’s how I got the scars. I wasn’t mauled by a bear.”

“You were mauled by a monster,” Sam whispered, looking at his knees. Emily scoffed. I saw the regretful horror in Sam’s eyes, but Emily chose to ignore it.

“Sam, self-loathing is unattractive.”

“Anyway, one of two things is going to happen. You’ll believe me, and then we’ll move on to the (unlikely enough) even more impossible part of this conversation. Or I’ll get pissed off enough that I’ll phase right here which will be hazardous to your health and mess up the furniture.”

“AT LEAST GO OUTSIDE!” Emily hollered.

“I’ll need to see it to believe it,” Lina said, and John nodded stiffly once.

I summoned the rage that lay so narrowly beneath my skin. It was still stronger because of Claire. What if someone hurt her? Or if she broke a toy she liked… or if I couldn’t see her… or if someone was mean to her?

I heard Sam’s voice after a second. “They get it, Quil. Phase back before you mess up my living room.”

I obeyed.

The two humans looked staggered. I realized that, in addition to having just turned into a big brown wolf in front of them, I was also naked. Sam sighed and passed me the blanket we kept nearby for just these occasions. It was bright pink. Sam thought it would help us learn control. Usually it was Paul who had the hideous fluorescent thing on him, but I wore it this time.

“Why… what… ummm…”

Obviously, Mrs. Denson didn’t even know what to ask first.

“There are ten of us. All huge wolves, different colors. Sam, for instance, is black. All born to protect the people… from vampires. But you’ve heard the legends, Mrs. Denson. We phase when we’re angry. And we imprint.”

Before the obvious question could be asked, Sam explained. “I imprinted on Emily. Imprinting means… it’s something we do. When you see her, nothing else matters. Only her. You’d do anything, be anything, for her.”